Congress did not do homework on Telangana: BJP

New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) Opposition parties Monday questioned the government's manner of announcing the proposed formation of Telangana, with the BJP accusing the Congress of not doing its "homework" on the creation of the state to be carved out of Andhra Pradesh.

Participating in a discussion in the Rajya Sabha to seek clarification on Finance Minister P.Chidambaram's statement on formation of Telangana, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said the Congress failed to control the emotions of the people of Andhra Pradesh on creation of Telangana.

"I take part in this discussion with a heavy heart. My party had taken a principled decision after discussing the issue threadbare and also the various aspects of the division of the state and creation of Telengana," BJP leader M. Venkaiah Naidu said.

He said the government needs to understand the situation in Andhra Pradesh and should try and evolve some response to the current situation.

"I would like to know from the home minister (Sushilkumar Shinde) whether the government and the Congress party had done enough home work," he asked.

Asserting that investment in Andhra Pradesh has suffered due to the statehood issue, he said: "We were marching forward. But in the last ten years there is no investment coming."

"Congress party not only failed to control its leaders but also failed to control the emotions. The government should address the fears and concerns of the people," he said.

Two more Andhra Pradesh ministers on Monday submitted resignations in protest against the decision to create Telangana. Over 3.5 lakh state government employees are set to launch an indefinite strike in 13 Seemandhra districts in protest against the division of the state.

Participating in the discussion, Telugu Desam Party's Y.S. Chowdhary said: "The manner in which this decision was taken is very different."

"No legislators have been taken into confidence," he said adding that when the division of the state was unavoidable, then why did the Congress not take all stakeholders into confidence.

"The new report would be considered for creating states. Then there can be a solution to this (demand for new states) problem," he said.

Congress's K.V.P. Ramachandra Rao said the decision was not acceptable.

"Was there historically any state named Telangana," he questioned.

Communist Party of India-Marxist's Sitaram Yechury said the decision should be taken taking all on board. He also said Congress to deliver on a "comprehensive" note promised in 2009.

AIADMK leader V. Maitreyan said the decision was "opportunist".

"This decision is not decision via route of conviction, but via route of political opportunism," he said.

"Their own Congress members were not convinced. if they cannot convince their own chief minister, MPs and MLAs, how did they take decision of forming Telangana," he said adding that government should see that normalcy is restored in the state.

"This is a case of demerger of the Telangana. It was forcefully merged in Andhra Pradesh," he said.

Chidambaram, in a statement on Congress' announcement on formation of Telangana last week had said a number of substantive issues need to addressed on the decision to carve out a separate Telangana state.

The minister had said that the home ministry would bring a comprehensive note to the cabinet containing both substantive and procedural issues.

The discussion was taken up following demands across political spectrum.

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